Posts Tagged #ironman

Apologies for not writing my blog sooner. I have basically started a new job and training has ramped up leaving me with little time. Anyway all is good!
I had booked a week of work and planned to stay at my mum’s in Lancashire. She lives on the IMUK bike course next to Abbey village. This is great. See my mum and get fed well all week, train on the course and be there for her 60th birthday too. Result!!

Got there on Friday night 23rd May after hard week at work. Got up early Saturday and did 2 laps of the bike course.

1st lap was fantastic. I was flying along, taking wrong turns and not pushing hard enough where I needed to and too hard in places I should’ve backed off a little- but hey I didn’t know the course. The course is much tamer than I had anticipated and I averaged 32km/hr round….
Oh dear…I wish I hadn’t have said that, the 2nd lap the wind had picked up, it was pissing down with rain and getting stormy, pothole visibility was near zero and the course bit me hard right on my cocky “that’s easier than I thought” arse!!! It was a painful lap, but I kept pushing on and saying to myself “ironman aren’t made in the sun” haha. I enjoyed it though- maybe just the relief of completing the 2 lap course. I didn’t do the section between the stadium and the main loops though. I covered off 183km in 5:23hrs. As I had done an extra bit and also gone wrong a few times. I was pleased with that. My training has definitely paid off and I was feeling strong.

I have to mention a great little app that I downloaded for the iPhone that gave me turn by turn instructions whilst listening to my tunes. It’s called “Co-Rider” and it has some small faults like reading out too many bends but is fantastic. It imports gpx files and then you use as guidance. I used mapmyride/run to plan routes on the running and exported gpx and emailed to myself and then opened on the phone in co rider. I never once got lost. A few times initially getting used to what the instructions mean. Like slight right actually means turn right if there’s a turning.

Anyway more confident and pleased. I did the bike course a total of 6 laps over the week. I swam in Pennington flash 4 times over the week and went from panicking a little(cold and first open water of the year) to being very happy with my swim. I can do the swim in a hour. Maybe slightly less on race day. That’s great.

I ran a fair bit as well taking in hills and canals and more cross country hills. I smashed my 10 mile PB on Thursday by 6mins. Things just came together and knee wasn’t hurting. My running has got considerably slower since going longer but I opened the taps a little in Thursday and it felt ace!!

My bottom bracket broke on Wednesday and I took it to Rivington cycles in Chorley. They changed to BB (ultegra) changed out all cables, trued the wheels and put a new chain on and serviced it – £65!!! Was well happy with that – not London prices that’s for sure!!

All in all good week. Training numbers down. Only hit 21 hours training instead of 30, because of the bike breaking, but I think the extra rest did more good than bad.

This week I have another heavy week before a week taper for Windsor Olympic. I am feeling the Vibe now and hopeful of an ironman time of between 11 and 12 hours. If it starts with an 11 I will be pleased. I suppose I should be more amazed considering where I was this time last year!!

And remember folks this hard work is all to raise money for those fabulous people at Macmillan cancer support!! Please go to my just giving page above and give as much as you can. Just think a pint or glass of wine cost near £5 and goes so far at Macmillan. Please donate and the karma Gods will be very nice haha.

On route to Bolton for a weeks training. No work and spare tubes and lots of gels. In my final BIG week of 30hours training and then tapering, as I have Windsor Olympic in 3 weeks and 8 weeks till IM UK.
Ran a marathon last week – first one and it was great. Slow because hot and had not hydration or enough gels as wasn’t planning on doing 42km but did it in just over 4 hours and then this week ran 2 x 15km and 300km on the TT bike. Swimming is ok but going to smash it this week and get open water up to speed.
All in all feeling good and also hit my 8% body fat target. Pretty good considering I was 25kg heavier and 30% body fat this time last year.
I’ll take some pics and report back on the course.
Please please donate. There is a link on one of the tabs. Even if it’s just a beers worth – Macmillan is a great cause!!

Saturdays ride ended early – my rear derailler hanger bracket snapped from being knocked off the other day – luckily next to a train station – fixed and then had to make up 3 hours so went swimming and did a big strength session- felt good but not as good as the double decker chocolate bar I treated myself too!! I then round to a friends and had the most awesome dinner made for me- oh God doesn’t food taste so so good when you’re ironman training- I love it all!!

Not sure about this pissing on the bike business either! Don’t want to practice so probably just wait until race day!
Long run today and did 30km – felt good and stronger – less pain and enjoyed it. Managed to get through with no water except 4 km before finish I dashed over to a shell service station and squirted some well earned water in my mouth before finishing my run. Came back to my friends where she’d made homemade scones and lush jam and clotted cream – absolutely divine!!!
Good weekend. Training now is hitting a peak over next 4 weeks- up to 23-25hours a week. Not looking forward to 6hour brick on Saturday but gotta be done if I want to finish this ironman.
I’m certainly earning my food ATM. Ciao for now !!

Well I’ve been so busy I’ve really neglected this blog. I apologise.
I’ve been training hard. I have a new job in the city that’s also demanding a lot of time. I also have a girlfriend 🙂
So all in all great but just no time!!
I’m up to 20 hours training plan now and up to more next week. Going into a 4 week intense block before slowly slowly tapering.
I haven’t heen able to stick to the plan though and I’ve probably been banging in 12-15hours a week on average. I’ve still had an injury so only been managing one long run a week. Up to 30km now though. This week managed 2 runs so all good. Got knocked of my bike at peak hour London traffic ouch- got bruises and road rash but in one piece!!

Tom long brick and Sunday 35km run. Next week I have a 4 week phas of 7hour TT bike sessions on a Saturday that I’ll brick as well. I’m going to the course in Bolton for a week on 23rd May so that’s like my training camp week. Looking forward to it all.

I’m doing this for charity- for Macmillan. They do great work and help people with cancer at their most vulnerable. Please please donate what you can now- there’s a tab at the top of this page – you may need to view on your computer!!! Please help me raise my target. I’ve been training constantly through the winter and sacrificed so much of my time to achieve this goal. It’s been so so tough and mentally fatiguing!!! Thanks everyone.
10 weeks to go- shit!!!!

Well I haven’t written the blog for a while and to be honest have had a little bit of a break and spent some time doing non active fun things- stuff I’ve really missed out on whilst hitting the training. I’ve eaten out a few times in the last week, caught up with family and friends and been away with work as well.
My first real session back was Thursday at the pool. I ran there which is just over 5km. I felt so good having not run for a few weeks because of my niggling knee injury. I did push it a little though and did the 5km in 21mins, which is probably a PB for me. My Cooper test/polar training watch suggests my running index is 64 giving me the potential to do a 19min 5km. I reckon I could do that know if I really set out to do that. I then did a hardcore pool session and I actually commented that I felt strong and I did. I led the groups and most others were flagging at the end and I was still full of beans. I then did a yoga class and ran home.
Friday was weights and I pushed it and was aching in my quads.
Today I got up and went out with 4 other fast riders from the triathlon club. I took my TT bike and we set of for a round trip to Henley on Thames. This route being just shy of 150km. We averaged a 34.5km/hr and I am aching so much now. I also had a puncture. Came home watched homeland and slept. Feel better now.
I’ve put on weight. I feel it as well as seeing on the scales. It’s hard not to get pissed off but I needed a bit of a purge and down time. I figured I have 3 months left till Ironman UK. I have put a new program in place for the rest of the training and it’s getting heavy. Up to 23/24hours a week. Open water swimming is open now in Thorpe, so going to tackle that tom am. A cruisy 20mile ride out there and a swim in 13 degree water brrrrrr…. But I want to be ready.
I need to start collecting some of this charity money now. I am raising money for Macmillan and there is a link at the top of this page. Please give generously. If you’ve been reading my blog, you know how hard I’ve been training and to come from nowhere and over 100kg to now is amazing in itself. The fact I’m raising money for Macmillan has kept me focussed and committed.
Happy training all.

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Yesterday I got my new hydration System for my TT bike and I had to try it out. I also fixed my seat bottle bracket also and adjusted the TT bike. I went round Richmond park 4 times and I felt quick but it was hard too. The gearing on my bike is so much bigger than my compact roadie. I have a 42 and 53 chainring on at the front so is much bigger than my 34t. This is great once you’re going but the steeper hills takes it’s toll. My legs were burning on the 4th lap. In total I did 54km in 1:38 so that’s like 34km/hr average which includes the traffic going to the park and back. Amazing!!! I can’t believe my progress it’s fricking awesome!! I could’ve pushed harder too. If I average this on ironman uk it will cut 40mins of my 6hour target time.
I woke up aching today though, my
Legs feeling the weight. I got up at 5:50 ate porridge and went out on the TT bike again and did 4 more laps of Richmond park. This was a misty morning and my legs felt it too. Slower than yesterday. I averaged 31km/hr. I then stopped off at the pool and swam. It was an endurance swim and I have now upped it from 3x1265m(38 laps in a 33.3m pool) to 2 x 1900m which is the same distance as before but with just one brief break where I got out the pool and walked to the other end before resuming my swim on the 2nd set. This is to emulate the ironman uk. Ironman uk is made up of 2 x1900m and I want to simulate as much as possible. So my plan is to do this 3 times a week and then the other 2 swim sessions with the club are drills and speed and whatever else they get us to do in prep for triathlons. The swim today was good. The time came in slower than the same distance with 3 sets because obviously I slow down on longer sets. I completed it in 1hr 6 mins.
Also I wish older ladies in the pool wouldn’t wear so much perfume I could taste it today swimming urgghh!!
So all in all good couple of days but I’m feeling the extra load.
Tomorrow I’ll swim in the morning and then I have a strength session followed by a club group turbo session.
My knee is sore still so I missed run training tonight and I missed my long run on Sunday – feeling guilty but I can’t afford a long term injury with only 110 days to go.
Happy training everyone!!!!

Today I went on a quick paced cycle to Henley on Thames and back. 145km. So it was a good distance for ironman training.
I arrived at Richmond park this morning just before 8. There were 8 of us. 3 of us with roadies and the rest on their TT’s. I was a bit pissed off about this as I would have taken mine if I’d known I could. Club has policy of not using TT on group rides, but at least I know with this group for next time. Well the pace from the beginning was quick. Averaging 35km/hr+. I took my turns at the front due to the head wind – wish others pulled their weight , but hey I got a better work out!! I also practised nutrition and used only electrolytes in my drink for first 2 hours then switched to 4:1 carb protein drink- 500ml every hour and backed up with 2 gels. Had a coffee and flapjack for 20mins in Henley which was beautiful next to the river.
This made me think that my pace could be much higher than I’m planning. I was taking the lead more often than not and was at the front powering on. I’m stronger than I think. I got back home and bricked the cycle with a 5.5km run which I did in 28mins- this included a stop for the toilet as I had a case of runners stomach – maybe the gels??? The first 2km are so hard after that long ride, my backs hurting, my lungs feel sharp and legs ache. Also stomach dicky so even more difficult. Then after 2km it’s comes easier and easier – I suppose that’s why I’m only instructed to brick 5km or 15/20mins for that very reason.
I enjoyed today but my God I was aching afterwards and now I’m shattered. I’m supposed to do a long run tom but I think I should rest my knee as it’s hurting still from Tuesdays run!!! I’ll see how I feel but the weather is gonna be lush again tomorrow and it would be nice to get out and run first thing.
Tonight met mum and my sister and she took me for a meal at pizza express and then back to mine for chocolate fudge cake and double cream. Tomorrow big roast dinner and I’m making a large egg custard mmmm. I burned 4000kCal today so I can!!!! Haha. Jumped on scales earlier too and in the 75’s now – first time ever!!! On target for my 73kg race weight.
Happy training all!!!!